At the local Church I attend, one of the most enjoyable things I like to do before Mass, after my greeting prayers, is to read the church bulletin. I enjoy this for a number of reasons. It keeps me up-to-date…
Spend An Hour With Me
Lessons of the Sower, Part 2: The Rocks
In our last article we reflected on the nature of distraction and how Satan uses that to keep us from letting Christ into our lives. Today, we are going to focus on the seed that fell on the rocks. Jesus…
Fire Water
Of the vast palette of human emotion, there is one visceral reaction that is completely uncontrollable and often times unexplainable: tears. Not the tears borne of physical pain or direct personal attack, but those tears that come out of nowhere…
Reflecting on the Paraclete
Readings for May 25, 2014: Sixth Sunday of Easter He wore steel rimmed glasses and had hair to the middle of his back. The fringe on his buck-skinned jacket bounced as he walked. At least that was the way I…
Come to Mass Ugly, Please
For the last twenty years I’ve kept a working cat around the house, which means I know exactly what they’re talking about in the expression, “You look like something the cat dragged in.” That something is not necessarily dead. More…
Wrapped in Sin No More!
“Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus came out, bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” (John 11:43-44, NLT) Lazarus like us was a sinner. He died, was wrapped in…
Personal Discipleship and Life as Church
Discipleship. Intentional Discipleship. Personal relationship with Jesus Christ. These phrases are becoming more and more common in parishes as we embrace the New Evangelization more and more! And that’s great since all of our recent popes have emphasized the essential…
Jesus: Way, Truth, Life
Readings for May 18, 2014: Fifth Sunday of Easter “As long as you believe in God and try to be a good person, it doesn’t matter what religion you choose.” “There are different paths up the same mountain, but they…
Fear Not, I Am with You!
I’m sure you’ve heard the story, of which there are many versions. One day a man walking along a beach noticed a boy throwing starfish in the ocean. Realizing the tide was going out the man asked, “What are you…
Does Jesus Want Us Out of the Church?
I just read a news story praising a Nashville-based literary agency that represents “top progressive Christian authors.” It stated that many of the authors have been influenced by Phyllis Tickle, who penned, The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why. Such…